In Focus
Once a year, we bring together members, partners, human rights defenders, friends and interested participants from around the world to exchange on current human rights issues.
We are in contact worldwide with people engaged in humanitarian aid and hands-on human rights work. Together, we advocate for the protection of human dignity and the inviolability of universal human rights across the globe.
Last Year in Review
Before joining us this year, we invite you to revisit the highlights of our 2025 Annual Conference. The event brought together human rights defenders, experts, and partners from across the globe to address pressing challenges, share experiences from the field, and strengthen international cooperation.
Discussions focused on key issues such as political repression, the protection of fundamental freedoms, and the role of civil society in defending human dignity under increasingly difficult conditions. Speakers from different regions offered first-hand insights into their work, shedding light on both ongoing challenges and opportunities for meaningful change.
54th Annual Conference of IGFM
54th Annual Conference of ISHR Europe as a Guarantor of Human Rights and Peace Date: 11–12 April 2026 Location: Gustav Stresemann Institute, Langer Grabenweg 68, 53175 Bonn Start: 12:00 PM ...
Human rights activist Lev Ponomarev has been placed on a wanted list
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has issued a warrant for the arrest of Lev Ponomarev, an 84-year-old human rights activist and former director of the ‘For Human Rights’ movement. ...
Ukraine: Russian bombing campaigns are taking their toll on the civilian population
The Russian attacks during the coldest time of the year have taken their toll on the civilian population in Ukraine The attacks on critical infrastructure reported by our television channels ...
Moldova: New Law on Political Parties Draws Criticism from Legal Experts
Recent amendments to Moldova’s law on political parties have raised growing concern among legal experts and human rights organizations. The reform, adopted in 2025, significantly expands the state’s ability to ...
Lukashenko regime cracks down on the IGFM
The ISHR’s social media accounts have been classified as ‘extremist material’ in Belarus The human rights organisation is not deterred by this designation and will continue its work on Belarus. ...
ISHR receives the Health:Angel
International human rights organization honored with prestigious medical media award Bonn, March 11, 2026 – The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) is today being honored with the Health:Angel – ...
In Belarus, the social networks of the International Society for Human Rights have been declared “extremist.”
On 10 March, the Goretsky District Court recognised the Instagram, X and Facebook pages of the International Society for Human Rights as "extremist". On March 10, a court in the ...
Russian society is atomised
Russian society is atomised Russia is home to members of various indigenous peoples. For example, the Itelmen in Kamchatka. Itelmen human rights activist Dmitry Berezhkov, who lives in exile in Norway, explains how they are ...
Ukraine and Moldova – among the countries with the highest number of victims of human trafficking
Over 39,000 cases of human trafficking have been reported in Europe over the past 20 years. War and population displacement, particularly following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, are ...
President Thomas Schirrmacher and Secretary General of ISHR Matthias Böhning visit Kurdistan
President Thomas Schirrmacher and Secretary General of ISHR Matthias Böhning visit Kurdistan The President and the Secretary General of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) visited Kurdistan to learn more ...
The database of the project “If There Were No War” contains 1,461 women persecuted by the Russian authorities
1,461 women persecuted by Putin's regime in Russia A picture of Russian reality on International Women's Day Of these, 634 are currently deprived of their liberty. Today, attempts to regain ...
Republic of Moldova: Risks of “Televised Justice” and Public Pressure on the Judicial System
In the Republic of Moldova, concerns continue to be raised regarding practices of public coverage of criminal investigations and court proceedings that may shape public perceptions of suspects’ guilt before ...
Four years of war: the price of impunity and the scale of human rights violations
24 February 2026 — the next anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Over the course of four years, the war has not only changed the architecture ...
Russia’s Digital Iron Curtain
Russia Builds a Digital Iron Curtain: WhatsApp Accuses Authorities of Attempting Full Block Amid Push for State Messenger MAX Russia is moving closer to erecting a new kind of Iron ...
Kim’s Great Construction
North Korea Builds Housing for Families of Soldiers Killed in Russia’s War Against Ukraine According to a report by Deutsche Welle (DW), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inaugurated ...
The Kremlin is persecuting participants in peaceful demonstrations commemorating Alexei Navalny on the second anniversary of his death.
On 16 February 2026, at least 19 people were detained at memorial events marking the anniversary of Alexei Navalny's murder. Citizens brought flowers, candles and photographs to memorial sites, including ...